Sunday, August 28, 2016

It's starts with us

It's time church. The world is waiting. The world is watching. The world wants to believe there is "more" to the story that's been told thus far.

The enemy knows there is more to the story, that's why he's gaining ground.

The King of Kings has written the more to the story, it's time for us to start the next chapter.

History has debated and fought and argued and killed and wrote dissertations and creeds and built churches and tore down churches and called names and accused of heresy long enough.

It's time.

It's time for the true followers of Christ to unite.

The time for the work of the church of our parents and grandparents is dying. Their practices were useful for its time, for their time, but it is not what will work for our time.

The evidence is all around us. The "visible" church looks like the world. In debt, breaking up, apart, divorcing from each other because each one has their own idea of what "right" looks like, what sin is or isn't.

Right looks and acts like Jesus.

He was kind and gentle.

And he was a badass.

He didn't mince words but he knew how to use words to get to the heart of the heart's deception.

It's time, Church.

The enemy's of Christ's church don't see our divisions at all. All the years and tears and sweat and wars over creeds and thesis about words so few had the privilege to read and understand is now needed to be set aside, not thrown out, set aside, to make way for what God is doing for our generation and the generations to follow.

Our enemy doesn't care if we follow Apollo or Paul or Peter. What offends our enemy is that we follow Christ.

That's what grinds his craw. That's what makes his blood boil.

His anger is played out all over the world, yet we here in America think our enemy is the "other" denomination or the "other" color or nationality or political party.

Maybe it is.

But then again, maybe it isn't. And if it isn't, are you ready for what the enemy can do?

Maybe the enemy will come looking for your group only, if you're the true followers and everyone else is "wrong." I'm sure they've studied all the statements of faith that fill the atmosphere of cyberspace, sorting out the "true" believers from the untrue. We've all made it perfectly clear, haven't we?

We are right because we do x, y, and z.

They are wrong because they do a, b, and c without doing x, y, and z first.

The enemy of Christ and his people does not care what Apollo or Peter or Paul or Calvin or Luther or Keller or anyone else says. They get really ticked off by what Christ says.

So if you're of the mindset that everyone who doesn't belong to X denomination or political party probably is not a true believer, then I hope you're ready to stand on that when the enemy is at your door. The rest of us will probably be safe if you are right.

(I am being very sarcastic and harsh for a Sunday, I know.)

Friends, the world is waiting for believers to act like believers, not spoiled children who don't like how the game is being played so they go home and start playing their own game.

Enough.

Either a follower of Christ believes in his heart that he is saved and confesses it with his mouth and that is the only mark he needs to be identified with Christ or he believes that AND....I must be a member of this denomination to seal the deal.

Which is it, Pharisee?

The world has seen enough division and disagreement and hatred and violence to last for eternity.

Which side are you really on?

The world knows deep down inside that there is Someone BIGGER and STRONGER and MIGHTIER then anything religion can throw at falsehood. The world is LONGING for the bright light to shine and point the way to the truth that God has already placed in their hearts.

It is not too late.

Yet.

The world needs Christ. Not the flavor of the month or the century or the millennium.

If we have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then be like-minded, having the same love and spirit and purpose. Let us not do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility...HUMILITY, not pride, consider others better than we are.

We only have this life, this day to live this life. This day to be light.

Tomorrow is not promised.

If God divides, God can unite, but it won't be because we continue to divide and splinter.

If we have any hint of any comfort, or encouragement or compassion, then don't wait any longer to be an agent of unity.

We are the children of Christ. He calls us his brothers and sisters. He doesn't look at us as our color or denomination or gender.

He sees His child.

The broken, hurting, sin tainted child he reaches down to pick up and comfort and set free.

My First Book!

Part one of my adult life I was a Navy wife and Mom. Part two of my life I am a now retired Navy wife, still a mom but now am a registered nurse and a grandmother. Words rattle around in my head trying to find a way out. I'm not a scholar or a theologian, and the only letters after my name are R.N. I like studying the Bible and wish I could make a living just looking up original Hebrew and Greek words. It's not my desire to change your opinion, your doctrine, or your political affiliation through this blog. I hope to get you thinking about life and its challenges in a way you hadn't looked at before. And maybe, somewhere along the way, let me introduce you to the Jesus I've come to know. All pictures are mine. Enjoy but don't use without permission.